Mondovino and Remole

I saw Mondovino on Friday night. Sadly, I don’t have much good to say about it. The main message of the film was that the increasing globalization/commoditization of wine (he called it “Napa-ization”) is a bad thing, and destroys some of the characteristics that make wine unique. The director takes aim at so-called “flying winemakers”, Mondavi, and the Wine Spectator (in the form of James Suckling).

I don’t think any of the people in the movie came across particularly well. Michel Rolland (the flying winemaker) came across as an arrogant sod, as did James Suckling. Robert Parker was uninteresting at best. Too many of the aristocratic Italian set were pictured lamenting the good old days of the Fascist regime (!!!), and although the Mondavi family came across better than I expected, they weren’t presented in the best light.

I didn’t mind the segments featuring the smaller winemakers, particularly the ones in Burgundy. But by the end, I had lost track of the people and their arguments, and I just got bored. Several people actually walked out of the movie, and there was a whole lot of fidgeting going on around me.

This movie was too long, too shaky (the camera work was making me feel carsick) and in the end, it did little to attract people who aren’t passionately interested in wine. I love wine, and I agree with the director’s main point. But I got bored after half an hour, and I felt the movie would have been much better as a one-hour documentary with professional editing. The director’s obsession with every dog that came along would have been the first thing to hit the cutting room floor. Although to be honest, the most interesting character was Robert Parker’s flatulent bulldog (George), who apparently has a habit of ruining tastings with his (ahem) “presence”.

On the other hand, we poured some nice wine before the movie. I was given the unenviable task of pouring a boring Italian Chardonnay (Frescobaldi’s ‘Albizzia’ Chardonnay), but I also poured a wonderful Tuscan Sangiovese/Cabernet blend (Frescobaldi’s “Remole”).

It was a hit. All three bottles of the Remole disappeared in forty-five minutes. Admittedly, I was giving generous pours (leading to some repeat tasters), but it’s also an excellent wine. In tastings, and in conversations, I find that people here tend to shy away from Italian wines, with the exception of the big names like Valpolicella or generic bottles of Pinot Grigio.

I think it’s because most people are intimidated by the labeling system. As wonderful as a bottle of Nero D’Avola might be, most people seem to pass it by in favour of yet another Australian Cab-Shiraz. Same goes for Prosecco, Primitivo or any number of other excellent Italian wines. I’m guilty of the same thing myself.

Giving people the chance to try something different like Remole is an excellent way to help them get over their fear of the unknown. I lost track of how many people expressed surprise once they tasted it. And it’s nothing special, just a good Sangiovese blend with buckets of cherry flavour and enough tannins from the Cabernet to give it some guts. But for someone whose only experience with Italian wine has been Valpolicella or cheap Chianti, the Remole must have been a whole new experience. At $14-15 at the private wine stores, it’s worth it as well.

Too Darn Hot

As I write this, Winnipeg is a festering 45 degrees Celcius with the humidity factored in. Walking outside is like being hit in the face by a hot, wet towel. My window air conditioner is struggling to keep up, and my morning post-shower shave in our un-air conditioned bathroom is almost too horrible to contemplate. The heat isn’t supposed to break until tomorrow, and it will be back again next week.

So what works in weather like this? Think crisp and cool. Now is not the time for that big oaky Chardonnay. The bottle of Lindeman’s Bin 65 Chardonnay that I bought yesterday was a mistake. Go for the lighter wines, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc. Pinot Grigio is a hit, as are the medium-weight, unoaked Pinot Gris. The MLCC stocks the Calona Vineyard ‘Artists Series’ Pinot Gris from BC, which was featured in last week’s Globe and Mail. It sells for $13 or so, and is worth tracking down. If you can’t find that, try some regional Italian or Spanish wines. Even a boring old Masi Soave can be a hit in this weather.

For reds, go for anything Gamay-based (Beaujolais being the prime example), lighter Merlots and Pinot Noirs. Pink wines (a.k.a rose) are a safe bet right about now. And don’t be afraid to drop them in the fridge for a spell to bring their temperature down. Most winemakers recommend serving their wines at around 17-20 degrees Celcius. Right now, my kitchen is in the mid-30’s – not the right atmosphere to enjoy a glass of red. So chill the reds for about 10-15 minutes, and you’ll enjoy them a lot more.

And if all else fails, a nice cold beer is always a winner. I’ve got a few bottles of Stella Artois in my fridge right now. And no, I’m not sharing them. But bring over a nice South African Sauvignon Blanc and I’ll let you sit in my air-conditioned living room.

Smoking Loon Viognier

For some reason, I seem to be incapable of getting it together and finishing off my BBQ tasting notes. So rather than agonize over my notes, I’ll move on to something else for now. Let’s talk about Viognier, specifically the wonderful and well-priced Smoking Loon Viognier

As a long and rambling precursor, my wife and I recently took a trip to Minneapolis. At 7.5 hours away (7 if my wife is driving), it’s an easy long weekend trip from Winnipeg. And it is overflowing with a bounty of good restaurants and wine stores, including Surdyk’s, which is my single favourite wine store in Minneapolis. And aside from the Liquor Mart in Boulder (Colorado), it’s one of the best wine stores I’ve visited in the last few years. There’s an attached cheese shop which meant that we stuffed our cooler full of contraband Maytag Blue for the trip home.

One of the wines we picked up on our visit to Surdyk’s was the Smoking Loon Viognier from California. I had previously enjoyed this wine at my favourite Ottawa restaurant, but it’s not available in Manitoba. So I was happy to find it at Surdyk’s for $8.99 (US). And I was even happier to find out that everything in the store was 20% off that day, making the Smoking Loon a $7.19 purchase. To put this in perspective, my price per glass in Ottawa was $9.00

Smoking Loon is one of the Sebastiani family of wineries. They also produce the decent Pepperwood Grove series of wines, which retail for around $12-14 at the private wine stores in Winnipeg. Given

I’m a huge Viognier fan, and I’m only too happy to spread the word about this fantastic grape variety. If you’re a Chardonnay lover but you’re looking for something a bit different, try the nearest Viognier. Typically, a good Viognier will have a rich, mouth-filling taste and strong hints of peaches, nectarines or melons (honeydew/cantaloupe) in both the nose and the mouth. This is all done in a dry wine. I haven’t come across any oak-aged Viogniers yet, but I’m sure they’re out there. I don’t think it would suit oak very well, but I’ve said the same thing about Sauvignon Blanc and have been proved wrong.

Anyways, the Smoking Loon met this description perfectly. It smelled like a big basket of ripe peaches, and tasted lush, rich and beautiful in our mouth. A long finish was the perfect ending to an excellent glass of wine. It was wonderful when we drank it on its own, and it also matched very well with the five-alarm Thai shrimp pizza we put together last night.

So if you’re in Minneapolis, I am happy to say that you’ll find the Smoking Loon Viognier at Surdyk’s. You won’t find it in Manitoba, but it’s almost worth the trip. We also tried the Smokin Loon Chardonnay, which was disappointing, and we have a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon sitting in the wine rack, waiting for cooler weather.

However, if you’re looking for something locally, try the Cono Sur Viognier from Chile, which is available for $12.49 at the private wine stores. It’s not as good as the Smoking Loon, but it will still make you very happy. The MLCC sells the Arrowood Viognier for $27, which is a bit steep. But I hear it’s also quite good. And if you’d like a nice Viognier blend, the MLCC stocks the Tamaya Viogner/Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) for $10.49

BBQ Part II - Zinfandel vs. Primitivo

Sorry for the delay in posting. I do have a day job, and it went a little crazy over the last few weeks. Plus I took a short trip to Minneapolis, where I indulged my inner-wine shopper to the limit (the VISA limit).

Anyways, the next two wines we tasted in our BBQ tasting were the Cline Red Label Zinfandel (2003 vintage) and the Vigne & Vini “Zinfandel” Primitivo di Salento (2001 vintage). Both were paired with slow-cooked baby back ribs and jicama slaw. And both were somewhat disappointing.

We had hoped to use this to show the similarities and differences between Zinfandel and Primitivo. To make a long story short, the two grapes are genetic twins. Some authorities argue that they are one and the same, while others suggest they are both mutated forms of the Croatian ‘Crljenak‘ grape. But we won’t go there today. Suffice to say that the two grapes share many characteristics, and as Zinfandel is (arguably) an excellent BBQ wine, it would stand to reason that Primitivo would fill the same nice. Right?

Maybe in other circumstances. The Cline was just too light to take seriously. When I drink Zinfandel, I want something medium-bodied, with lots of bramble fruit (raspberry, blackberry, etc). I expect a hint of “wildness” in the background, and I aim to enjoy it. The Cline was light, showed some minor raspberry flavours and didn’t have the “wildness” I was looking for. There was a nice enough finish, which made it a good match for the food, but at $18 and change, it’s not worth the price. I used to really enjoy the Cline Red Label series, but this was a disappointment. If you’re going to try this, chill it for 15 minutes and serve it on the hottest day of the year.

But it was still better than the Primitivo. If I had to use one word to describe the Vigne & Vini, I’d call it ‘funky’. And not in a Maceo Parker kind of way. More like a “who opened their skanky gym bag” kind of way. It smelled like a racoon had tipped over the garbage and rolled in it, and my notes show that it tasted like an unholy combination of stewed beets and raspberries. Not only did it taste like this to start, but it got worse as the night progressed. I took it home, and my wife turned up her nose at it, preferring to open a bottle of cheap Cawarra red instead.

So no, I won’t recommend it. I won’t even tell you the price. Pick up the Pasqua Primitivo at Kenaston Wine Market instead. Or venture into their Italian section and pick out one of the other fine Primitivos they have in stock.

On the whole though, I’d still say Zinfandel is an excellent BBQ wine. The pronounced wildness and bramblefruit flavours make it a good match with sweet and smoky BBQ sauces, and it pairs well with ketchup. My current fave is the Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel, which is sadly unavailable up here. If you can’t find that, Ravenswood’s Vintner’s Blend is always a safe bet, and there are lots of other choices as well.

Next up, we bring out the heavyweights. Australian Shiraz takes on the relatively unknown Washington State Syrah.

Chillin’ and Grillin’ in the Peg

Before anyone comments that I’ve lost my wits, the above title refers to a wine tasting that I ran on Tuesday. It was actually called “Wine and BBQ”, but a friend kept calling it Chillin’ and Grillin’ and the name stuck. And “the Peg” is one of the many nicknames for Winnipeg. It sounds more appealing than “River City” or the “Murder Capital of Canada” (a name bestowed on us by the local tabloid rag several years back). So it all comes together.

To put the concept in plain English, we worked our way through the concept of pairing wines with BBQ cuisine. We served up seven wines (one white, a rose, a bubbly and four red) paired with five dishes, all grilled and all meat-based. It was hard on the sole vegetarian in the crowd, but he was a real trooper.

The food, which was amazing, was dished out by Terry and Sue Gereta, of Mise (222 Osborne). As always, I urge you to check out the restaurant if/when you’re in town. And if you’re interested (and you live in Winnipeg) all of the wines are available at the Kenaston Wine Market in Winnipeg.

Our first wine of the night was the Bleasdale Verdelho (2002), from Australia’s Langhorne Creek district. It was paired with grilled black tiger prawns served over a spicy green mango and cucumber salad.

There was some anxiety here. I don’t know where Langhorne Creek is, but nobody asked. And I’ve never had Verdelho as a single-varietal before. But Bleasedale makes some fine wines, and this was excellent. The Verdelho ($14.99) was like the child of an unholy union between a Chilean Viognier and an Australian Sauvignon Blanc. It had the richness of the Viognier with the crispness and fruit-forwardness of a fine New World Sauvignon Blanc. And it went very well with the salad – which had a real curry-fired kick to it.

The next wine was a disappointment. We served up the Chateau-St. Martin Rose Cuvee Grande Reserve (2003), from Provence. It was paired with a miniature Mediterranean pita sandwich – grilled lemon-garlic chicken with onions and tzatziki.

The wine was over the hill, which was a shame, since it runs $17.99 in the store. It was also a bit too cold, which was a shame. I’ve enjoyed Provencal roses before, but this was a bit sad. Kind of like seeing one of your childhood idols as an adult, and realizing that they are wearing a bad hairpiece. There wasn’t a lot of flavour left, beyond a hint of strawberries, and it didn’t have that delicious cool dryness that I associate with good roses. And the nose just wasn’t there. The sandwich was excellent, though the tzatziki overwhelmed the wine.

Next round brought us the Nick Faldo Sparkling Shiraz (NV). I love sparkling Shiraz, and could happily drink it all day (and night). This one had a hint of grapey sweetness, but was very tasty. We served it chilled, and it went really well with a minced lamb kebab (flavoured with dates and pine nuts) served with feta cheese and grilled cantaloupe. I was a little skeptical of the cantaloupe, but it turned out to be delicious.

In short, this was a match made in heaven. Lamb and Shiraz is always good, and the faint sweetness of the lamb kebab was a perfect match for the grapey bubbles in our glass. Very tasty, and I’d recommend this wine any day. At $22, it isn’t cheap, but it is worth it. You can also find the Deakin Estate Sparkling Shiraz at most private stores, which will set you back $16.

Not only is it tasty and full of bubbly goodness, but it’s a red you can serve cold. Considering how hot the summers up here get, that’s a good thing. Even when it hits 40 degrees with the humidex, I still like my big red wines. And this is a nice compromise between a warm red-induced headache and having to drink beer.

At this point in the evening, we took a break, so I think that’s enough for today. I’ll post the next four wines tomorrow.